Combination therapy for treating or preventing skin damage

Abstract

In an aspect of the present application, a composition for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof can include at least one autophagy promoter and at least one diuretic. The at least one autophagy promoter and the at least one diuretic, in combination, can each be present in an amount sufficient to prevent or treat the skin damage. In another aspect, the present application includes a method for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof whereby the composition can be administered to the subject in a therapeutically effective amount to prevent or treat the skin damage.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A composition for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof, the composition comprising:
 at least one autophagy promoter; and   at least one diuretic in combination with the at least one autophagy promoter;   wherein the at least one autophagy promoter and the at least one diuretic are each present in amount sufficient to prevent or treat the skin damage.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter is present in an amount sufficient to minimize injury and/or promote healing at the site of skin damage in the subject. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diuretic is present in an amount sufficient to reduce or prevent swelling at the site of the skin damage. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter, in combination with the at least one diuretic, are each present in an amount sufficient to minimize injury and/or promote healing and/or reduce or prevent swelling at the site of the skin damage. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , being formulated for one of oral, inhalation, sublingual, injection, or topical administration to the subject. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human subject. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the skin damage is caused by one or more of a chemical burn (including but not limited to as caused by vesicants), a radiation burn (including but not limited as caused by UV and X-rays), a heat burn (including but not limited as caused by fire, steam, hot objects, and hot liquids), a cold burn, an electrical burn, a friction burn, or trauma. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the vesicant is one of a weaponized vesicant (including but not limited mustard gas, nitrogen mustard, and sulfur mustard) or a chemotherapeutic vesicant (including but not limited to mechlorethamine and doxorubicin). 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter is an mTOR pathway inhibitor. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter is one of Vitamin D, a Vitamin D analogue, a pharmaceutically active source of Vitamin D, or rapamycin. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter is an mTOR pathway independent autophagy promoter. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one autophagy promoter is trehalose. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diuretic is selected from the group consisting of high ceiling/loop diuretics, thiazides, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, potassium-sparing diuretics, calcium-sparing diuretics, osmotic diuretics, low ceiling diuretics, xanthine diuretics, and diuretics of other mechanisms. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one diuretic is selected from the group consisting of spironolactone, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, pamabrom, caffeine, and  stevia.    
     
     
         15 . A method for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 1 , thereby preventing or treating the skin damage in the subject. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the administration step includes oral, inhalation, sublingual, injection, or topical administration of the composition to the subject. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the subject is a human subject. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the skin damage is caused by one or more of a chemical burn (including but not limited to as caused by vesicants), a radiation burn (including but not limited as caused by UV and X-rays), a heat burn (including but not limited as caused by fire, steam, hot objects, and hot liquids), a cold burn, an electrical burn, a friction burn, or trauma. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof, the method comprising:
 (i) administering, to the subject, a therapeutically effective amount of the composition of  claim 1 ; and   (ii) administering, after step (i), a therapeutically effect amount of a series of diuretic compositions on separate consecutive days to the subject;   whereby steps (i) and (ii) are effective to prevent or treat the skin damage in the subject.   
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A kit for preventing or treating skin damage in skin of a mammalian subject in need thereof, the kit comprising:
 the composition of  claim 1 , being formulated for oral administration;   a series of diuretic compositions, each of which is formulated for oral administration; and   a set of dosing instructions, wherein the subject is instructed to (i) ingest the composition of  claim 1  on a first day, and (ii) subsequently ingest each of the diuretic compositions on separate consecutive days.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled)